


and suddenly, i'm not interested in whatever the rest of the world has to offer

by pastelcandies



Category: RWBY
Genre: Ace-Ops - Freeform, Cheek Kisses, Fluff and Angst, Food, Hot Chocolate, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Swearing, Team JNPR - Freeform, i have heard that adding too many tags is annoying so i will continue to do it, i love adding unnecessary tags and thats your problem not mine motherfucker, it's mostly fluff I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27442906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelcandies/pseuds/pastelcandies
Summary: Marrow interrupts Jaune drinking hot cocoa at 4 am, and the two have a chat.
Relationships: Guard Dogs - Relationship, Marrow Amin/Jaune Arc
Kudos: 33





	and suddenly, i'm not interested in whatever the rest of the world has to offer

Jaune yawned, adding a packet of cocoa to his cup. The middle of the night was the best time to get it; Nora always used all the packets when she woke up in the morning. It was adorable until he wanted some. He rubbed his eyes, absently stirring his cup as his mind wandered away.

A thumping noise startled him; Marrow was watching, tail wagging and eyes wide and bright while he watched Jaune making hot chocolate. 

“I can’t even have things in peace at  _ four am _ .” Jaune groaned, reluctantly handing over his cocoa and grabbing a new cup for himself. Really, he liked Marrow - perhaps too much - and was happy for the company, but  _ dear god _ , couldn’t Marrow make something for himself for once?

Marrow smirked as he held the cocoa, hoisting himself onto the counter with his free hand. As he did, some of the hot chocolate splashed onto his white shirt and he squeaked. Sleep deprived and still rather annoyed, Jaune threw his head back, bursting into laughter. Pouting, Marrow glared at him, but as he watched his eyes crinkle and his white teeth, listening to his somehow both pretty and ugly laugh, he grew entirely spellbound, mouth hanging agape, and fondness sparking in his eyes.

Jaune’s laughter faded away, his electric-blue eyes sparkling. Marrow was transfixed; how had he never noticed how bright and full of life those eyes were? Despite everything Jaune had been through, he was still here, able to find joy in a bit of spilled chocolate. Before he was caught staring, Marrow fixed his face back into a pout.

“You’re mocking my suffering!” he whined. “This shirt is white, how the hell am I supposed to get this out?”

All he did was make Jaune start giggling again. He rubbed his eyes, still snickering. 

“That’s what you get for refusing to make your own food.” Jaune smirked once he caught his breath, giving Marrow a friendly shove 

“You could just not give it to me.” Marrow raised an eyebrow.

“Nah. This works fine.”

Marrow breathed an internal sigh of relief. Thank god. He didn’t know what he’d do if Jaune would stop giving him his things. Make his own food, for one, but he sure didn’t want to do that.

Jaune finished heating the water and poured it into his new mug, the Atlas crest in dark grey on the front. The symbol sent him into a spiral of thought. He still wasn’t sure what to think of this place; he had his huntsman license, was assigned missions, was given orders, and trained with his team, his friends, and the Ace Ops. That was what he had wanted for all his life, wasn’t it? Why was he still uneasy? What more could he ask of this place? A dull ache rang through him at the thought that there was one more thing he could ask for, but what could never be given to him. Flashes of emerald green eyes, the red metal of a spear, a shining gold circlet, a soft pale hand extended to him…

Marrow watched in silent concern as Jaune’s expression, usually as bright as the sun, became overcast, the sparkles of sorrow and hurt in his eyes growing brighter. He had an odd protective desire to find whoever and whatever had ever hurt them and destroy them. No one could just do that to one of his friends.

_ Friends _ . The word echoed in his mind. He hadn’t had many friends when he was in the Atlas academies; his dog tail helped with that. He learned and listened and tried to become a more wanted person to have around even if he lost himself in the process. People laughed at him when he did things like brag about how many times he had been kicked out of somewhere, but Marrow was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. Maybe not smart in the way that would prevent him from getting kicked out, but he was certainly intelligent.

“Why did you decide to become a huntsman?” He asked, hoping to distract Jaune from whatever was saddening him. 

Jaune looked up from stirring his hot cocoa. He leaned against the counter and took a sip - grimacing as it burnt his tongue a bit.

“When I first started training, it was because I wanted to follow tradition. Even my weapon is a hand-me-down from my father, who got it from his father, et cetera. I fought for no one but myself. For a long while, it was apparent fighting wasn’t my strong suit; I was clumsy and inexperienced, fighting for my pride but only succeeding in harming it. I could’ve, at any time, returned home and pursued something else. But I’d found something at Beacon I rarely had anywhere else; I had friends who loved me and supported me. Nora, Ren, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, and… Pyrrha. Sometimes I don’t think I’d still be alive without Pyrrha. She was killed at the Fall of Beacon.” He paused to take a sip of his cocoa, grief brewing like a storm in his eyes.

“I couldn’t let anything happen to my friends. I needed to protect them in any and every way I could. I had my shield improved, I trained, I practiced, I fought back, and when I finally manifested my semblance, I was able to amplify others’ aura with it. I think that’s the best thing I could’ve gotten. I was no longer fighting for some bullshit legacy, I had another family, a team I could fight for, and who would fight for me.

“I lost Pyrrha.” His voice became quieter and slightly choked. “I’m not ever going to lose another person I love to Salem. Pyrrha knew she had an obligation to try, and so do we; and this time, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure no one else is killed.”

Marrow watched him, gazing at Jaune in rapt silence. Jaune blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Sorry, I kinda rambled there.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Marrow whispered. In all honesty he wasn’t used to situations as serious and deep as this, the trust woven in it.

They watched each other for a while, pale pink on their cheeks, a quiet, serene sort of intimacy in the moment.

“Marrow, do you really think we’ll be able to stop Salem?” Jaune whispered, a plea for reassurance echoing in his words.

Marrow took another sip of cocoa. “It’s just like you said. We have an obligation to try. And when it’s all of us, armed and ready, there can’t be a lot she can do.”

Jaune slid onto the counter, pushing himself next to Marrow and resting his cheek on Marrow’s shoulder. Cheeks warm, Marrow wrapped an arm around Jaune’s waist, more than willing to provide what comfort he could.

Jaune looked towards him, eyes brighter than usual. “I won’t let her have you too. I don’t know how this will all turn out, but… I think I at least know for sure you’re on our side.”

Marrow looked at him in mild surprise. “Why me in particular? Don’t you trust the other Ace-Ops?”

Exhaling deeply, he leaned more into Marrow. “Ironwood’s behavior… I don’t doubt that he’ll go to any lengths to destroy Salem, to lengths that no one should ever go. I guess I’m scared of just how far he will go. And you guys, the special operatives, will follow his orders through anything, no matter what.” He took a pause, choosing his next words carefully. “But… You’re not like the others. You’re equally as strong and talented as them, of course, but I can tell the way you think is different from theirs. If the worst case scenario goes down, I know you, if none of the other operatives, will make the right choice.”

Marrow looked away, cheeks slightly warm. He often wondered himself; was he making the right choices and actions? What if he ended up doing more harm than good? He was scared that because he would follow the only place he had where he fit, he might end up doing the wrong things because of that. Yet he didn’t know what else he could do.

They finished their hot cocoa together, occasionally exchanging conversations, or sitting together in their comfortable silence. Jaune learned Marrow’s laugh was as precious as Marrow himself and as beautiful as gold, and that his eyes, despite being storm-colored, always burned bright, no matter what. He wanted to learn every tiny thing about Marrow and more. Head fuzzy from lack of sleep, he reached a finger out and traced the razor-sharp edge of Marrow’s face, the surprise on his face warming Jaune’s heart. He felt as if he couldn’t get close enough; he was pushed as close against Marrow as possible, faces just inches from each other, yet it somehow wasn’t close enough. He wondered if he could ever feel close enough.

Cheeks pink, Jaune kissed Marrow’s cheek. 

“Night,” He mumbled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and his smile unbearably sweet.

Stunned, Marrow sat there for a bit longer, his fingers just brushing his cheek where Jaune had kissed him, as if scared he would wipe it away but wanting to remember it forever. His heart was fluttering as he walked back to bed, absentmindedly knocking into many things along the way but too distracted to care or take note. 

He settled into bed, no longer exhausted. His thoughts were racing; he wanted to make the right choices, for Jaune if for nothing else.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr and send in some asks and requests, @pastelcandies for main, @electricheartvalkyrie for RWBY. I'm also on discord, #0972 🖤


End file.
